Patients and Community Welfare in Malawi (PAWEM), a body that oversees the welfare of patients in the country, has condemned the behavior by some senior health workers at Chikwawa District Health Office (DHO) for allegedly stealing mattresses meant for patients in the district’s hospitals.

PAWEM’s executive director, Amade Alide, told Malawi News Agency (MANA) on Thursday that what the staff did was in conflict with what their duty demands.

“It is sad and very unfortunate that senior officers who are considered as controllers of government property are in the forefront abusing government resources,” bemoaned Alide.

He said such a conduct should not be tolerated and commended the action taken by some junior members of staff who decided to spill the beans after noting the theft.

Spokesperson for Ministry of Health Joshua Malango said the Ministry is totally against the malpractice and that it will not shield anyone found stealing hospital property.

“Government is doing all it can to ensure that Malawians receive good treatment in our public hospitals. It is bad for people to steal resources meant for poor Malawians,” Malango said.

He added that the Ministry will ensure that those found plundering public resources will face the law accordingly.

Recent reports from Chikwawa Police Station indicate that the police in the district have so far recovered all the 28 mattresses that went missing on Monday morning, with senior officers at the District Health Office being at the center of the controversy.

On his part, Officer-In-Charge (O/C) for Chikwawa Police Station, Assistant Commissioner Davie Chingwalu, said they arrested 14 health officers in line with the theft and formally charged them with the offence of theft by public servant.

All the 14 have been granted bail.

But Chingwalu denied allegations that some officials at Chikwawa District Council also benefitted from the scam.

Reports indicate that the United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF) donated about 1,000 mattresses and some bicycles in August this year for distribution to Chikwawa District Hospital, Saint Montfort and Ngabu Rural Hospitals.